Talking texts

Many cellphones can now play music files or games whose sound may drown out the bleep of a text message arriving. Seiko Epson has an answer - your phone looks up the sender's phone number in the address book and a synthesised voice announces the name over the music (WO 03/107630/1).

Alternatively, the phone can convert the text message to speech, reduce the music volume a little and read it out.

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